Revised engines give Focus new edge

The new Ford Focus delivers the car’s most fuel-efficient powertrain line-up with improvements of up to 15 per cent, and a significant CO₂ emission reduction across the line-up.

Focus will be the first vehicle in Europe to offer Ford’s new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and it will also be available for the first time with Ford’s 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine.

Ford engineers have further optimised power, torque and fuel efficiency from the 2-litre TDCi engine; and Focus will continue to be offered with the 1-litre EcoBoost petrol engine – including a 99 g/km CO₂ 1.0-litre EcoBoost model.

New diesel engine technologies are available on both the 1.5-litre and 2-litre TDCi engines: they include a lean NO_X trap for cleaner exhaust emissions; reduced friction using Diamond Like Coating (DLC); and engine breathing enhanced with a Variable Nozzle Turbocharger  (VNT).

Further fuel-saving technologies including Auto-Start-Stop, Active Grille Shutter, and Smart Regenerative Charging help achieve significant reductions in CO₂ emissions across the full range of petrol and diesel engines.

“We have improved fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance,” claimed Joe Bakaj, vice president, product development, Ford of Europe. “When the new 1.5-litre TDCi engine is introduced, Focus will be available with all engines meeting Euro Stage VI months ahead of the legislation taking effect.”

Available with 150PS or 182PS, the new 1.5-litre EcoBoost is equipped with the integrated exhaust manifold technology first introduced with Ford’s 1-litre EcoBoost engine. This improves efficiency by helping the engine reach optimal temperatures faster, and also delivers torque more rapidly by minimising the distance exhaust gasses travel between the cylinders and turbocharger.

                                              Aluminium block

The engine also uses the core EcoBoost technologies of turbocharging, high-pressure direct fuel-injection and Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing alongside a new aluminium engine block. A water-cooled intake charge cooler delivers a more efficient feed of air into the engine and the control system has been reprogrammed to offer high levels of engine refinement, quietness and performance.

Focus continues with Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, which last year was chosen by a third of Focus customers. From early next year the 125PS Focus 1-litre EcoBoost will also be offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Focus also will continue to be offered as a 1-litre EcoBoost version delivering 99 g/km CO₂, the previous version of which became the first non-hybrid petrol family car in Europe to offer sub-100 g/km CO₂ emissions earlier this year.

Revised gear ratios help to deliver the low emissions, alongside existing fuel-efficient technologies including Auto-Start-Stop, Active Grille Shutter, and Ford EcoMode that provides drivers with feedback on their driving style to help them become a more fuel-efficient driver.

In addition, Ford’s Smart Regenerative Charging system selectively engages the alternator and charges the battery when the vehicle is coasting and braking to recapture energy that would otherwise be lost – reducing engine load for less fuel usage.

Paddle-shift controls will be available as an option with all automatic and PowerShift transmissions, both diesel and petrol – and enable drivers to control gear changes while keeping their hands on the steering wheel.

                                         New diesel technology

Focus will also be offered for the first time with Ford’s 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine. Available with 95PS or 120PS, it delivers greater power, torque and responsiveness, with optimised combustion chamber design, and cutting-edge turbocharger and fuel injection technology. It will feature the most fuel-efficient combustion process from a Ford diesel engine to date and it has a lean NO_X trap in the exhaust after-treatment system for even cleaner emissions.

Ford has developed the engine’s piston bowl to improve combustion, and coated several components including the pistons, pins and seals with a layer of DLC. The six-micron-thick layer of this tough and smooth material bonded to a component is enough to reduce friction for improved efficiency and refinement.

A revised VNT helps to increase airflow into the engine, while the latest generation high-pressure fuel injection minimises internal fuel losses and improves combustion, helping to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions.

The 95PS version will deliver 98g/km CO₂ emissions, a 10 per cent improvement compared to the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel. It can deliver 74.3 mile/gal fuel efficiency when mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

A 120PS version of 1.5-litre TDCi diesel, with the six-speed manual gearbox, will also deliver a 10 per cent fuel efficiency improvement and a PowerShift automatic option will be introduced next.

The 150PS version of the 2-litre TDCi will deliver a 15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency over the previous 140PS model when specified with the six-speed manual gearbox, or PowerShift automatic transmission – achieved by introducing Auto-Start-Stop and Variable Nozzle Turbocharger technology. Torque is up from 340Nm to 350Nm.